INTRODUCTOEY 



To all who endeavour to understand the life of the 

 salmon, two disadvantages are naturally present. 

 The fish cannot at all stages of its life be brought 

 under observation ; it goes from us into the ewigkeit 

 of the ocean, where on the whole it spends more 

 time than in our rivers, and where its doings excite 

 men's imaginations and their faculty for romance. 

 Secondly, the fish belongs to a genus so susceptible 

 to the influences of environment that it has to be 

 studied in different localities and under varied con- 

 ditions, if we would escape a too narrow vision of 

 its habits and characteristics. 



Even then we have to bear in mind that what 

 we actually see may not always be believed, that 

 exceptional appearances have to be suspected and 

 strange occurrences investigated ; while the whole 

 history of salmon literature reminds us that to write 

 on this subject is to open up argument and to court 

 dispute. I have heard of a Cabinet Minister who, 

 when asked to advance salmon fishery legislation, 

 promptly declined, saying he wished to die in his bed. 

 The heat and intolerance which have been exhibited, 

 in Scotland at least, over disputes about the life of 

 the salmon almost rival the spirit shown in recent 



